Ride's been alright. still quirky, and I got that recall notice on it, but i'd rather deal with my instrument cluster going black than the previous issues I have had.

It's fantastic when working well though. The V6 is surprisingly quick once it is broken in properly.

Glad to hear its hanging in there. Ours is now out of warranty ...got a bunch of stuff addressed right before and now its running well. Hopefully it will stay that way for a while.

My wife is away this weekend (in the Jeep), and driving around yesterday I stopped and drove a new Infiniti QX60 (JX35). Thats probably our next vehicle. I don't love the CVT, but the sport mode actually mimics gears pretty well. Its good looking in a different way than the Jeep, and people space inside is incredible (7 Passenger).

Planning to keep the Jeep for another year hopefully, although that means I will have to put tires on it.

Glad to hear its hanging in there. Ours is now out of warranty ...got a bunch of stuff addressed right before and now its running well. Hopefully it will stay that way for a while.

My wife is away this weekend (in the Jeep), and driving around yesterday I stopped and drove a new Infiniti QX60 (JX35). Thats probably our next vehicle. I don't love the CVT, but the sport mode actually mimics gears pretty well. Its good looking in a different way than the Jeep, and people space inside is incredible (7 Passenger).

Planning to keep the Jeep for another year hopefully, although that means I will have to put tires on it.

Try the new Durango with the 8 Speed and the Hemi... I would be interested what a person thought after driving that CVT. I only suggest the Durango as a size comparison (7 pass).

Try the new Durango with the 8 Speed and the Hemi... I would be interested what a person thought after driving that CVT. I only suggest the Durango as a size comparison (7 pass).

I haven't driven a Durango, I will give one a try. I wouldn't buy one, it doesn't appeal to me the way the Jeep does, and I wouldn't take on the reliability issues again for a vehicle without that appeal.

If the QX60 had a normal transmission it would be a slam dunk. I also drove the MDX, which I liked the drive of better mainly for that reason, but the seating configurations aren't nearly as good. The QX60 has the best third row I've seen anywhere outside a full size Suburban like SUV or a minivan. You really can carry 7 adults in moderate comfort.

The styling has grown on me, and now I think they almost look good. I see them everywhere...I can see why its a real nice vehicle and price wise, well loaded with nav for under $50k.

Here's an interesting question, given the talk about seating capacity. How often do people really need to seat 7 adults in a vehicle? This is not saying the poster above doesn't. I'm just saying I see so many people buying vehicles for that "seating capacity" that never use it, or maybe use it once a year at most. Even if you used it 10 times a year you're paying that gas and size penalty for all the rest of the time you don't.

Is this a "bigger is better" notoriety kind of thing?

Just wondering. I mean hell...I got a Jeep and it usually just carries 2 so...

Here's an interesting question, given the talk about seating capacity. How often do people really need to seat 7 adults in a vehicle? This is not saying the poster above doesn't. I'm just saying I see so many people buying vehicles for that "seating capacity" that never use it, or maybe use it once a year at most. Even if you used it 10 times a year you're paying that gas and size penalty for all the rest of the time you don't.

Is this a "bigger is better" notoriety kind of thing?

Just wondering. I mean hell...I got a Jeep and it usually just carries 2 so...

2 young kids in the huge carseats they have for them now take up the whole back seat, so if you have 3 kids, or if you have others you drive around as well, then you would use that third row.

Here's an interesting question, given the talk about seating capacity. How often do people really need to seat 7 adults in a vehicle? This is not saying the poster above doesn't. I'm just saying I see so many people buying vehicles for that "seating capacity" that never use it, or maybe use it once a year at most. Even if you used it 10 times a year you're paying that gas and size penalty for all the rest of the time you don't.

Is this a "bigger is better" notoriety kind of thing?

Just wondering. I mean hell...I got a Jeep and it usually just carries 2 so...

If you could get your mother in law to sit on the roof those 10 time a year ...

It isn't always about the seats. my 7 seated MDX had more cargo space when all the seats were folded.

Here's an interesting question, given the talk about seating capacity. How often do people really need to seat 7 adults in a vehicle? This is not saying the poster above doesn't. I'm just saying I see so many people buying vehicles for that "seating capacity" that never use it, or maybe use it once a year at most. Even if you used it 10 times a year you're paying that gas and size penalty for all the rest of the time you don't.

Its rare, but we've been in several situations since owning the Jeep where having two more seats would have made the difference between everybody being able to ride together when visiting family, and having to take two cars. We've even had a couple situations where somebody has ridden in the cargo area of the Jeep for a short trip.

Our situation is we're planning on having a baby sometime in the next two years, and we want to be able to take the family with us when we go places all in one vehicle.

Also, like Bill said the rear cargo area is huge with those seats stowed.

Fuel economy on the QX60 is FAR better than the Jeep, sizewise its longer but it doesn't feel huge when you drive it.

Well...I don't know if I'd call 20/26mpg FAR better than 17/25. Better, but "far" makes it sound like worlds of difference. Let's not overreach on the QX60 accolades in that respect anyway. I've driven one...it's nice. Power-wise it seemed a little weak (for me) but it was definitely luxurious.

As for why you want 7 people in the truck...hey, whatever works. Though...I'm pretty sure if I had 7 people in any vehicle for any serious length of time I'd end up in an unflattering news story involving a mug shot

The difference is around town. We average right at 17MPG in combined highway and city driving, which is pretty bad. On a highway trip I can MAYBE get 21 or so. A lot of that may be the 5 speed, and maybe it would be better with the new 8.

The QX60 has a CVT, while I don't love CVTs, this one is pretty good, and that has a big impact on around town driving economy. I know several people with them and they are getting about 22 combined, which is a 5MPG improvement from what I'm getting in the Jeep...so thats what I would consider FAR better.

Anyways, the reason I brought that up was because you made the comment that people were paying a big mileage penalty carrying around all that additional room, and thats just not the case. All these three row crossovers get better mileage than the Jeep.

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Power-wise it seemed a little weak

It is, its the CVT.

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As for why you want 7 people in the truck...hey, whatever works.

When we take people places...we'd like everybody to be able to ride in one vehicle. We have big families, and when we go visit my wife's family or my family we routinely need to carry more than 3 people in addition to ourselves. When we have a carseat its going to be even more of a problem.

Drove a Buick Enclave w/center row bench for 6 yrs. It would hold 8 adults with relative comfort, did it quite a few times. Not really enough power to drive it that full of people though. It did come in handy for short trips with the group I was hauling around then, but never more than 30-50 miles. Eventually didn't need that much room anymore. Would have considered buying another one if I was still hauling that group around, but the JGC was the perfect downsize for me. It all really boils down to finding what you need, and there are almost always trade-offs.

Its rare, but we've been in several situations since owning the Jeep where having two more seats would have made the difference between everybody being able to ride together when visiting family, and having to take two cars. We've even had a couple situations where somebody has ridden in the cargo area of the Jeep for a short trip.

Our situation is we're planning on having a baby sometime in the next two years, and we want to be able to take the family with us when we go places all in one vehicle.

Also, like Bill said the rear cargo area is huge with those seats stowed.

Fuel economy on the QX60 is FAR better than the Jeep, sizewise its longer but it doesn't feel huge when you drive it.

Its a lot to give up going to a CVT, I don't think it can really compare to the jeeps 8 speed.